i'm over 40. is it impossible?

WAHMto5

I am 42 and totally agree with everyone else. It is slow and a bit harder, but for sure can be done! I personally hate to exercise and when I was younger I never really had too. After 40 I have realized that I HAVE to exercise to maintain and I had to make a life style change, no longer a diet! I do not cut any foods out, just concentrate mostly on eating more of the good foods and most important for me is learning portion sizes! It will be a year on MFP for me on the 22nd of this month and currently 2 lbs away from my goal weight, so again it is not fast but been slow and steady. Best of luck to you, you got this!!

beachlover317

I am 66 and I have lost a total of 38 lbs or about 25% of my weight.. It was by eating clean, no processed foods or soda, lots of water, and moving more. Check out Dan's Roadmap.

I hate Dan right now. See my post above.

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LOL - no reason to hate Dan. It is what it is. His numbers just help you SEE what it is, so you can do something about it.

thecloud6

I actually started MFP after I turned 40. I weighed the most I ever had in my life. It took me about 9 months but I lost enough to reach my goal weight. I am just in maintenance now, and I still exercise 5-6 days a week and count my calories!

Guamybear

It is doable.. I eat pretty much everything I always have with some newer items added in.. I work out regularly now also.. It doesn't fall off like it did back in my 20s but it is coming off..

I think it all a matter of finding your right NET number..

KeithChanning

I'm over 60. No, it isn't.

spirit80

I'm 52 and 13 months later 73 lbs down. You can do it. It is more mental.

DebbieLyn63

I turned 49 last Aug when I joined MFP. 6 months in and over halfway to goal weight. It certainly is a lot slower at this age, and I can't get away with slacking off like I could when I was younger, but it is definitely doable. There are hundreds of people over 40 and succeeding on this site. You just have to accept that it will take perseverance and patience.

concordancia

sorry dans road map isnt for everyone

I hate how it has become the MFP bible

Personally, I just use MFP. I did the math and the difference wasn't big enough to be of any concern to me.

It just helps for people who have a mental block about eating their calories back.

majope

Another one here! I lost 35 pounds at age 47 by netting about 1500-1600 calories a day, eating back my exercise calories along the way.

I'm tracking calories again two years later to go down another 15 or so (did not gain all the pounds back in the meantime--I maintained within a few pounds since my initial loss, although when I started in January I was 5 pounds up after holidays and a couple of weeks of travel). This time, since I have less to lose, I'm netting closer to 1700 and still losing weight.

TrishLG

I am 65, 220 and determined to get to 140.
Exercise is important to keep the metabolism up, so I walk and try to eat like Dr. Joel Fuhrman advises in Fit for Life.
Also, I checked out Consumer Guide, and all the free diets on line are better than the expensive ones like Jenny, Nutri, even WW, but myfitnesspal is the best rated!!
So get busy and start enjoying life again.

Oh and when i visited my daughter for her graduation from her masters program, she was showing me around and nearly killed me with her high energy level. So I imagine if we moved like we did at 22, we would still look like it.

jaynalawayna

Nope - not impossible. You have the wisdom of your years on your side. I didn't start really losing weight till I was 53. I've hit a wall for now - but lost 40 pounds before hitting it and I can buy cheap bras at Target now! I try not to beat myself up if I only get in a 30 minute walk a day - it's okay - maybe tomorrow I'll wake up early and get an extra cardio work out in. Once in a while I'll have a cupcake - that's okay too. It's a lifestyle change - so yes - you have to eat this way for the rest of your life - but it's not prison. There are ton's of foods that are delicious and are good for you as well. It's okay to have a treat once in a while - just read your labels and have a portion - not half the box. What finally motivated me to lose was a scary report from my doctor. I don't want to leave my daughter too soon - I want to be that senior that says outrageous things to the waiters and embarrasses her grand kids.

offthedeependay

not impossible...I am 50 and it took me 16 months to lose 90 pounds,,you can do it

gaylaworrell

I'm 46 and have lost 28 lbs in about 5 months but.. and this is huge.. I'm not trying to do it quickly. I finally understand that small changes are lasting changes and that it's more about how I feel and how I look then a number on the scale. I'm eating cleaner, healthier food, exercising in ways I enjoy rather than dread and enjoying most every minute of it! We still do the things we've always done - eat out a lot, bake, etc. - I just make better choices!

I've decided that rather than think of my age as a disadvantage, I'll remember all of those times I tried to do this when I was younger and failed! Now, at 46, I have the wisdom and patience to do it, do it right, and enjoy the journey!

avababy05

I lost all my weight after 40,I lift,I'm in the best shape of my life,I have more energy than I did in my 20's.I feel great.

So,yes.It's possible.

laura328

Nope - not impossible. You have the wisdom of your years on your side. I didn't start really losing weight till I was 53. I've hit a wall for now - but lost 40 pounds before hitting it and I can buy cheap bras at Target now! I try not to beat myself up if I only get in a 30 minute walk a day - it's okay - maybe tomorrow I'll wake up early and get an extra cardio work out in. Once in a while I'll have a cupcake - that's okay too. It's a lifestyle change - so yes - you have to eat this way for the rest of your life - but it's not prison. There are ton's of foods that are delicious and are good for you as well. It's okay to have a treat once in a while - just read your labels and have a portion - not half the box. What finally motivated me to lose was a scary report from my doctor. I don't want to leave my daughter too soon - I want to be that senior that says outrageous things to the waiters and embarrasses her grand kids.

Love this! Made me laugh! I don't have any kids, but I, too want to be (and am on my way to be!) that crazy senior!

MercenaryNoetic26

My husband just turned 40 and he says the same. He's been actively working out and weightraining for 20yrs+ so he's noticed every little anatomical change in his body. I've noticed he's significantly cleaned up his eating. He knows for his own body and type that he just can't indulge like other people.

I'll be like, "Aren't you hungry? You only ate once since when?!" But he knows what he's doing and still enjoys icecream and pastries. He has a friggin' sweet tooth.

He's maintaining muscle but is always reminding me how it's much tougher. So yes, with age comes a bigger challenge, unfortunately, but it is VERY possible to reach a goal and maintain it.

Healthy_4_Life2

Bump to read later!

da1128

I lost 62 pounds after I turned 50. Made cardio exercise a daily part of my life, cut my love of pizza down to 2 slices instead of the whole thing, and learned how to walk right past the baked goods and candy aisle in the supermarket. (Although I still love my Peeps, especially stale ones, and I refuse to give them up. I'll limit myself to one package instead of one case. :bigsmile: )

Yeah, you can do it!

iulia_maddie

40 is young!! And the hottest people i've seen on this site are over 40 or close. I think you can definitely do it!